What Happens In Vegas: The Outtakes
by shasta53
Summary: Selected outtakes from What Happens In Vegas. Reading the main story is necessary to understand some of the outtakes.
1. Chapter 1

**What Happens In Vegas: Outtakes**

**Disclaimer: Twilight is Stephanie Meyer's. This story is mine. Good? Good. **

A/N: This outtake is dedicated specifically to cher, tinywit and gasuz09 who answered the call. All of you are the best. Cher, I hope this makes the hospital waiting time a little less tedious. I wish I could make it all better for you. This is shorter than normal and I know that Edward's thoughts are not what they usually are. Please keep in mind that both Edward and Bella are VERY intoxicated.

**The Wedding**

**EPOV**

I was absolutely enthralled with kissing Bella. There was a little voice in the back of my head that asked me what in the hell I was doing but the more I drank, the quieter he got. That was fine with me; I would prefer that he shut up all together.

Scott, Peter's best man, was a riot. He kept dragging us around with them through their tours of various casinos, even though I was much more fascinated with the brunette beside me. She was hot and the kissing was fantastic. No one seemed to mind the fact that we were making out like teenagers and that was fine with me.

"Edward!" Bella yelled over the boisterous crowd. "Come here! We're all doing body shots!" She held up two shot glasses filled with what appeared to be tequila and I was out of my seat like a bullet. When I got to her side, she handed me the glass. "Here, you go first!"

I bent Bella back over the bar and lifted her shirt to expose her toned stomach. I bent over, licked from her navel to her hip and sprinkled the salt. Another quick lick, then I downed the amber liquid and sucked all the juice from the lemon she held in her teeth. I tore the rind out of the way and my mouth met hers ferociously.

"Mmmm," she moaned when she finally pulled back. "My turn!" She smirked and undressed me with her eyes. Her gaze lingered below my hips for a moment longer than necessary and I ached to have her mouth around my cock. Instead, she pulled my head down and licked up and down my jaw with a deep and throaty moan. Her noises were going straight to my groin and my dick was straining against my jeans.

Bella finished her shot and then returned to licking and sucking all traces of salt from my jaw line. My hands gripped her tiny hips and pulled them into me. Bella's salty and tangy lips met mine with a ferocious passion and I eagerly took all she had to offer. The odd thought that she had taken all of me the moment we met passed through my mind, but like all drunken mental ramblings, it disappeared all too quickly.

"Let's go down to the Stratosphere! Maybe they'll let us go up to the top again!" someone yelled and everyone cheered their approval. I pulled back from Bella to get her reaction and she just smiled and shrugged.

It took us awhile to get to the Stratosphere because we kept stopping to drink the various casinos along the way. Peter and Charlotte rejoined the group sometime along our walk and were clearly very happy together. Bella and I were clearly basking in the glow of their love as we became more and more affectionate. Not that I minded because, really, Bella had it all. She was beautiful, smart, and modest. She was everything I'd ever wanted in a woman and with less alcohol in me, I might have actually been intimated by her.

I wasn't sure how we talked our way onto the observation deck, but there we were overlooking all of Las Vegas. The bright lights glowed and the setting was strangely romantic. Bella snuggled into my arms with her back to my chest and I held her as we gazed over the city.

"Hey, you see those lights down there?" a blond woman next to us said, pointing to a spot almost right below us. "That's where we got married today." _Oh, this must be Charlotte. _"It was the perfect wedding. Honey," she called to a tall, dark haired man behind her, "can we go back to the chapel and see it again?"

He nodded and held his hand out to her. She grabbed Bella's hand and pulled her along. "Come with us, you two! Please?"

Bella flashed me a silly and wholly suggestive grin and I willingly followed the trio back down to the street. Charlotte was busy regaling Bella and I with all the details of their wedding. I couldn't follow her excited and high-pitched chatter, but Bella was enthralled. I was just content to watch her and wonder how I got so lucky as to have her by my side.

The chapel itself was simple, but pretty. There were a few rows of white pews and a simple altar at the front. Bella giggled like a school girl as we looked around and she kissed me sweetly when she thought no one was looking.

"Can I help you two?" a tastefully dressed woman in her mid-thirties asked as she approached.

"Help us?" I asked blankly.

She laughed lightly at my bewildered stare. "Make your arrangements. I've rarely seen a couple so in love!"

"Oh, we're…" Bella started to say but Charlotte squealed and cut her off.

"Oh, Bella! That would be so neat! Peter and I will stand as your witnesses. You should totally do it!"

"We can take care of everything, from the license to attire," the woman hinted.

Bella turned and faced me, her eyes wide. She looked… hopeful, I thought and one second of staring into her eyes, I knew I'd never be able to deny her anything.

"Edward? What do you think?" Bella bit her lip nervously, her eyes bright.

"Whatever you want, love," I agreed. She smiled and her entire face lit up. "Marry me?"

"Yes!" she squealed and jumped into my arms, wrapping her legs around me and kissing me hard.

I pulled away reluctantly and found the woman in charge. "Why wait? Can we do this now?"

"Follow me!"

Bella and I trailed after her, hand in hand. Charlotte offered Bella some advice on packages, rings, dresses and… I quit listening. As long as Bella was happy, I was happy.

Bella and I filled out some forms and were driven down the road to get our marriage license. On the way back, I asked to pop into a jeweler that was still open and I picked out a simple platinum band for Bella, while she got my ring. Peter and Charlotte were taking their roles as our witnesses seriously and we toasted to everything we could see. As soon as we returned to the chapel, that lady took Bella from me to get her dress and I followed some guy to get into a tux. It didn't fit quite right but it looked fine and that's all I really cared about.

I was nervous as I waited with the pastor next to the altar. Peter was waiting in the pews and Charlotte joined him after what seemed like hours. Before I knew it, Bella was walking down the aisle toward me. She took my breath away in her strapless white gown. The bodice was tight and beaded and showed off all of her curves. I did my best to burn that image into my memory because I was convinced it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

We repeated our vows and exchanged our rings. The minister pronounced us husband and wife and I felt my face break into a wide smile. Bella's matched it and we met in the middle for a kiss that could rival any in history for passion, I was sure of it. Charlotte squealed again and Peter clapped his hand on my shoulder and offered his congratulations. My eyes never left Bella's. I couldn't tear myself away, even to walk back down the aisle with her on my arm.

We changed quickly and the woman that had arranged everything for us handed me a white bag with our pictures and mementos and I had her call us a limo to take us back to the Venetian. There was the small matter of our wedding night to attend to after all.

As soon as the limo door was closed, Bella climbed into my lap and laced her fingers into my hair. I pulled her into a deep kiss. When we had to break away for air, I kissed down the creamy skin of her neck, sucking lightly on a spot right below her ear that seemed to drive her crazy. She was grinding herself onto my already very hard dick anyway, and I took that as a good side.

There wasn't much traffic on the strip at this hour, whatever that was, and we were at the door of the Venetian before we knew it. Bella and I raced upstairs to my suite, giggling in anticipation. I fumbled a little with the key card but as soon as the lock clicked open, I swung my arms underneath Bella's knees and pulled her into my arms.

"What are you doing?" she laughed.

"Carrying my bride over the threshold, of course," I teased back. She laughed again and the sound was musical.

I carried her down to the living area, not wanting to be too presumptuous but as soon as I let her down, her fingers began unbuttoning my shirt. She threw it across the room and I made sure that hers followed suit. In fact, our frantic kisses and touches barely sustained us as we headed back towards the bedroom. Bella tripped over the top stair and landed in my arms as I caught her and held her tightly to my chest. I ran the rest of the way to my bed with Bella in my arms.

I unclasped her bra and took a moment to admire the perfect breasts in front of me. Bella moved to cover herself but I ducked my head and captured one of her tight nipples in my mouth. Bella's moans increased as I worked her breasts with my hands and mouth.

"Edward, please, I need you now," she moaned out.

She didn't need to tell me twice. We both shed our pants and I trailed my hands down over her lower lips. She was so warm and wet. She bucked her hips up to meet my hand and I rubbed my fingers over her clit eagerly.

"No, you, Edward. I want you," she cried out.

"Are you ready for me, Bella?" I asked. I hoped that she was because I could not wait any longer.

"Yes, God, yes!"

Bella was underneath me and her dark hair was spread across my pillows. As far as glorious visions were concerned, this one rivaled her walking down the aisle. I positioned myself at her entrance and pushed into her with one swift thrust. What little rational thought there was in my head suddenly disappeared. My dick was encased in the hottest, tightest pussy ever and I was in heaven. I wanted to tell her how good she felt to me, but all that came out was a strangled groan and some mumbles.

Bella's hands ran up my back and she pushed her hips up a little to encourage me to move. I pulled out almost all the way and pushed back in with some forced. Bella groaned and I stopped a little to make sure that she was okay.

"I'm good. Oh, please. More. Harder," she encouraged. I bent my head to seal her lips with mine and I found a hard rhythm that she seemed to enjoy. The only sounds in the room were her whimpers, my groans and the sound of our bodies smacking together. Personally, I thought it was an incredible soundtrack.

Bella tightened around me and screamed along with her release. I felt her inner walls squeeze me even tighter and I moaned at the sensation. It did not escape my attention that if I hadn't had so much to drink, this would not have been possible, that I would not have lasted this long. I was determined to hold out long enough for her to climax again, because seeing Bella reach the heights of ecstasy was a sight to behold.

I circled my hips a little and tweaked her nipples and her body contracted around me again. There was no holding back anymore for me as her second orgasm triggered mine. I growled as I released into her and she yanked my head down for another passionate kiss.

"Bella, you are amazing. Thank you," I mumbled into her hair as I rolled off of her and pulled her into my arms.

"No, thank you," she mumbled back and giggled. I kissed the top of her head and drifted quickly into the most peaceful sleep I'd had in years.

**Let me know what you think! I am planning to write more of these so if there is a particular scene that you want to see, ask for it and I will see what I can do! Thank you for reading and supporting me!**


	2. Chapter 2: Alice's Wedding

**What Happens In Vegas Outtakes**

**Disclaimer: I didn't write Twilight and I don't own it. I do own this story though and you don't have permission to reproduce it. **

A/N: You all are the best readers in the world. Happy Easter, darlings!

**Chapter 2: Alice's Wedding**

**EsmePOV**

I finished brushing my hair in the bathroom and dragged myself to the bed where Carlisle was waiting for me awake, despite the late hour. The past few days had been exhausting and I was truly looking forward to curling up in my husband's arms for a few hours.

Carlisle chuckled low in his chest when I flopped on the bed and buried my head in his shoulder. "Oh, Es, they can't be that bad! Just think, in a few days, it will all be over and you can relax."

"Oh, but you're wrong," I argued. "They are that bad. Alice has the whole thing planned out, which is scary enough in itself. She even has everything written down with diagrams! Mother keeps pointing out all the ways in which they are not following the acceptable etiquette for the event and your mom just undoes whatever Alice or I put up to make it like she wants it. Then, Mom fusses with that too! I can't get anything done!"

"Would it be easier just to let her have her way?" my sweet husband tried to suggest.

"Of course it would be easier! But that would devastate Alice. She has been planning this wedding for years and it is her special day. My mother had hers and mine to do her way. She doesn't need Alice's too!"

Carlisle rubbed my back consolingly and pulled me down next to him. My exhaustion was so complete that I drifted off to sleep as soon as I nestled my head into his chest.

"Grandmother! No! That's not where that goes!" Alice's screaming woke me far earlier than I would have liked. A quick peek at the clock told me that it was just after six in morning. I shuffled away from the circle of Carlisle's arms and threw on my robe.

"Alice, what is going on here?" I whispered loudly as I made my way into the hall. My mother was fully dressed and coiffed so it was obvious she had been up for a while. Alice, too, was dressed and standing with her hands on her hips, glaring at her grandmother.

"Mom! Grandmother has rearranged the living room again." She turned her focus back to the older woman in front of her. "Why can't you leave it alone?"

"Because, dear," she said patronizingly, "I am trying to make sure that it is all done properly. You wouldn't want anyone to be offended at the lack of etiquette and the impropriety."

"The placement of the tables will hardly offend anyone's sensibilities. It's my wedding and I want things done my way!" Alice retorted.

My mother rolled her eyes indulgently and turned away from my daughter. Once she was out of hearing range, I pulled Alice into a hug.

"We'll fix it, dear." I whispered into her ear.

"Why? Why can't she leave well enough alone?" she asked miserably.

"She never has and probably never will. Let's fix what we can and we'll deal with her later."

I returned to my room to dress quickly and quietly, so as not to wake Carlisle, but I found him smiling ruefully at me from the bed when I left the bathroom. I gave him a hasty kiss and then went back to the kitchen where I could hear female voices.

Alice was surrounded by her grandmothers. Dad was wisely staying silent and drinking his coffee from behind the newspaper. My mother and mother-in-law were trying to convince Alice that her plans for the house and her wedding day were flawed. They reasoned that they knew better than she did as they had done this several times before. Alice was growing more frantic by the second.

"Alice, what all do we need to do this morning?" I asked, trying to distract the horde.

"We need to get the ribbons up as soon as possible. The more decorating we can do now, the better. We only have three days."

"Let's start there. Why don't you come show us what you have in mind?"

She smiled at me gratefully and ran into the other room where her supplies were. Alice dug out the white ribbons and started strategically placing it and showing us how she wanted it done. The foyer was roughly half-way covered when Helen started clucking disapprovingly and began tugging on the tulle steamers. Alice's eyes went wild and I knew she was close to the edge. I steeped in front of her to try to diffuse the situation.

"Helen, do you have a suggestion?"

"It would just look so much better like this," she whined, twisting the ribbon in some complicated knot. I turned to Alice to catch the frown.

"Well, let's leave it like it is for now and we can think about the changes later," I decided. Helen's lips turned down and then lifted into a smirk. After almost thirty years of knowing her, I was positive that she was up to no good.

"I'm going to pick up Bella," Alice announced suddenly, then disappeared. She reappeared moments later with the keys to my car and pushed past us out the door.

"Helen, leave the ribbons alone. It's the way Alice wants them and it is her wedding. Mother, can you put a few more up? Helen, perhaps you could help me in the kitchen with Alice's other plans?" They both acquiesced and I practically dragged my mother-in-law with me. I sincerely hoped that I would never treat my daughter-in-law like mine treated me. That is if Edward would ever settle down. I shook my head to clear it because those thoughts inevitably led to thoughts of his only serious girlfriend and I severely disliked her.

Carlisle was getting a cup of coffee and my dad was standing next to the back door. Carlisle leaned over to kiss me when I got close enough and told me that they were going down to his office for a bit to "stay out of our way." I rolled my eyes and swatted his backside as he passed me. He flashed me a grin and ran out the door.

"Here are the seating charts that Alice created. Can you check them and make sure there is no one on your side is sitting with anyone they shouldn't be?" I asked Helen. We bent over the table sketches and she ran her finger over the names. The phone rang and I tore myself away from her mutterings to answer it.

"Hello, Cullen residence."

"_May I speak to Esme or Alice Cullen, please?"_

"This is Esme. How can I help you?"

"_Esme, this is Martin from Whispers. We have a little problem."_

"Martin, my daughter's wedding is in four days. What problem could you possibly have?"

"_It's about the pastry desserts you ordered. Our pastry chef is no longer with us and we haven't been able to find a replacement for him. We don't even have a suitable candidate."_

"What are you going to do? We have to have a dessert!" I could hear the slightly hysterical sound rising in tone.

"_Ma'am, I—" _Martin was cut off as Bella strode purposefully into the kitchen and took the phone from me.

"Martin, we will have to call you back in just a few minutes, okay?"

He seemed to agree because Bella hung up and turned to the gathered audience. She introduced herself and asked everyone to help her make Alice's dreams come true. Even my mother agreed to help.

"First, the caterers. Mom, can you tell me what's going on there before I call them back?" she asked me. I smiled at the term she used to address me. I really did love this girl.

"The pastry chef quit last week and they have not been able to find a suitable replacement. There is no one to make the dessert," I sighed.

"Alice, did you get the cake you wanted?" she asked.

"Of course." Alice looked a little stunned.

"Good. No dessert needed, then." I wanted to argue the point because we definitely needed something sweet for an after dinner course. She must have seen the determination in my expression because she cut off the argument before I could get it out. "Alice, I made you order the cake big enough to feed 1/3 more guests than you are expecting. At a wedding, wedding cake is dessert. We don't need flaky turnovers." Alice huffed, but consented.

"Okay, I'll call the caterers back and fix that mess, then. We cannot get into the church to do the decorations until Friday morning, right?" She looked at me and I assented.

She checked on the state of the bridal party outfits, the flowers and cake. The list she was reading off of was barely more than scribbles but it was working.

Alice grabbed her decoration sketches and went over them in detail while Bella went and let Rosalie into the house. They were such lovely friends for Alice and their personalities complemented each other. After the quick introductions, Bella shooed the rest of them out of the kitchen to decorate and turned back to me. Her expression was chagrined, but for the life of me, I didn't know why.

Instead, I embraced her and told her how pleased I was to see her! She seemed a little worried that I would think she was taking over and I hastened to assure her that I was just happy that she was here doing what I couldn't.

We called the caterer back and Bella secured us a partial refund and probably made Martin's day. He sounded so relieved when we hung up that I almost felt bad for harassing him. We went into the other room and joined the decorating party. Bella kept everyone in line and everything went up according to Alice's specifications.

Mom and Helen told us all stories of their weddings and I joined with a few of my own. By the time lunch rolled around, we had accomplished a lot and were all getting along much better than we had for the previous three days. It was a nice change of pace.

Once lunch was over, we continued where we left off and I finished a few more of the finer details. It was so nice to have both of my girls here. I hoped that Bella knew how much I cared about her. Her own mother was a flake at best and, from what I knew, never really filled that motherly role for her. I did my best and she seemed content to let me.

I swung by the kitchen and was peaked in to see if Carlisle and Dad had returned only to be met with a sight that froze me in my tracks. Helen was wrapped in my apron and had a series of bowls laid out on the counter. I could hear the grease popping from the stove and several other pots bubbled merrily. The kitchen was a mess again. I had just cleaned it from top to bottom. Bella heard me mumbling and leaned into me to look.

Her expression was priceless.

"I swear she does these things just to annoy me," I whispered. "We're having a wedding reception here in three days and I've spent the last week cleaning the house from top to bottom."

"At least she is being useful now," she whispered back. "I'll reclean the kitchen myself if it keeps her out of trouble for the rest of the day."

I had to agree with her but I knew that I would never make her clean up after the devil in disguise. It was my burden to bear and mine alone. I figured it was better to leave Helen to it, though, because if she was busy in the kitchen, she wouldn't be undermining Alice.

The Whitlocks arrived and I shifted into entertaining mode. Maria was a wonderful friend and we had grown close over the years that our children had been together. She admired Alice's handiwork and added a few touches of her own. As soon as Helen announced that dinner was ready, we all moved into the dining room. Maria shared some of her ideas for the rehearsal dinner and I promised to dig out a few of Alice's pictures as soon as dinner was over.

The rest of the crew went back to decorating and Emmett and Jasper worked on the ribbons and bows that needed to be up high. For the first time, everyone pitched in and worked together. The result was that we were able to get the entire inside of the house decorated and ready for the reception on Saturday. Both of my parents turned in and went to bed just before ten, as Bella, Emmett and Rosalie left for the evening. Alice seemed much calmer. I, on the other hand, still had to clean up the mess that my mother-in-law had seen fit to inflict on my kitchen.

To my great surprise, Helen had loaded the dishwasher already and was wiping down the counters when I walked in. With the exception of a few pots and a bag of garbage, nothing was out of place. She noticed the look on my face and smirked at me.

"What? You thought I was going to leave you with a huge mess to clean up?"

"Yes," I replied bluntly.

She laughed. "Oh, come on now, I'm not that horrible. I must say, though, your expression earlier was worth every bit of mess I had to clean up tonight!"

I grumbled at her assessment and poured a glass of water. After the late night last night and the early morning wake up call, I was determined to get some sleep tonight, since I did not have a massive clean-up project. I thanked her and bade her a goodnight.

Carlisle had not made it to our room yet when I arrived but I didn't wait for him. I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

Thursday morning dawned to cloudy skies, as was normal for Forks, and I padded downstairs to make coffee. Alice was, as usual, already waiting for me with Bella next to her.

"What's on the agenda for today, ladies?" I asked with mock-cheerfulness.

"Bella and I thought we could get all of the table decorations together and in stacks so that all we have to do tomorrow is put them on the tables once we get them all set up," Alice replied. "What do you think?"

"I think that sounds perfect. Is there anything we need to pick up from town?"

"Just Edward," Bella replied. I thought I saw a flash of something in her eyes, but as quickly, it vanished.

"The boys are picking him up at the airport at one and then going to get their tuxes. I'm sure they will figure out a way to ensure that it is an all day trip!"

"Just as well," Alice mumbled. "It's not like Jasper's helping with the wedding preparations."

"Darling," I said, sitting next to Alice and pulling her close to me, "he is helping. He's staying out of your way. His only job is to do what you tell him to and to show up on Saturday. What do you think this wedding would look like if you let him plan it?"

Bella snorted and muttered something that I didn't understand but Alice did and she giggled. "Fair point. When is Rose supposed to be here so we can get started?"

"She sent me a text a little bit ago. Emmett is letting her have the SUV and Jasper is going to pick him up at the Lodge. Since she doesn't have to wait on him to beautify, she should be here any minute," Bella replied.

Alice nodded and squeezed Bella's shoulder as she passed on her way to the sink. Something was off there, but I figured that she would talk to me about it when she was ready. Bella was never one to push into anything.

I had to admit that I was full of nervous energy all day. We got done with the stacks of table decorations fairly early and I ventured into the kitchen. My son would be home today and I wanted to do something special for him. I hadn't seen him since Christmas and he hadn't been home since the Thanksgiving before that.

That Thanksgiving had been a disaster. Tanya had elected not to come home with Edward but she called or texted him constantly. He was on edge and defensive whenever we mentioned it, but I had to admit that we had never been closed-mouthed about our dislike of the woman. When he called a week before Christmas and asked if we would come help him move, I was understandably nervous until he explained that he and Tanya had split and he was moving out of the apartment they shared.

I didn't waste any time getting our plane tickets and Alice and I had so much fun redecorating his new place. I hadn't seen my son smile in so long and I could see him gradually begin to reemerge. He was still quiet and withdrawn, but not as angry as he had been at Thanksgiving. I usually made a point to talk to him at least once a week since then, although, lately I had been slacking off and his calls to me were short. He seemed happier, though, and I could not wait to see if what I heard in his voice translated into his overall demeanor.

Bella wandered into the kitchen after me and gave me a tentative smile. She had been jumpy all day too and I decided that baking cookies would give us both something to occupy our time. Rosalie even came in and helped us. It did register that the first batch of cookies would probably be enough but I couldn't stop myself from making more dough.

Mother did stop us in the middle of measuring flour to ask what I wanted to do about dinner.

"Take-out," was Bella's reply from the cabinet where she was digging out the cooling racks.

"Does Italian sound good?" I asked around. When everyone agreed, I wiped my hands on a towel and called Carlisle. He sounded only too eager to prolong their trip. I waited until I was sure that he was away from the rest of them before I asked the question I was dying to know about.

"How's Edward?"

I could hear the smile in his voice when he answered. "Happy. It's good to see our son again, Esme."

Relief flooded through me and I smiled widely. "Oh, good. Come home soon, okay?"

He assured me they wouldn't be too much longer but I could hear the laughter from the other men again and I hung up with the knowledge that dinner was still two hours away.

We finished mixing the ingredients for Edward's favorite peanut butter cookies and I had to admit that we made a much larger batch than strictly necessary. I couldn't help it, I was really excited to have my son back.

It was almost six when Carlisle walked into the kitchen and Bella and Rosalie were finishing up the last batch of cookies. I looked around him and he just laughed at me. "He'll be in in a minute. He went to drop his stuff in his room."

I threw the containers in the microwave and started heating them up. Edward bounded into the kitchen and I threw my arms around him. Carlisle hadn't been exaggerating. He was happy. Even his eyes were twinkling and full of life. I couldn't help but to look the rest of him over.

"Well, you look better than the last time I saw you. You've been eating better, but you still look so tired," I assessed.

He protested that he had just finished a 45 hour shift and insisted that he would look better tomorrow. I didn't have the heart to tell him just how much better he already looked.

Alice interrupted our moment with some crisis about the seating chart and some additional guests but I wasn't really paying attention. I watched Edward cross the kitchen and steal a cookie from Bella. They exchanged only a few words but the affection on both of their faces was impossible to deny. I mentally ran through some possibilities to throw the two of them together, while suggesting to Alice that we create a kid's table instead of moving everyone else around.

Alice and Edward bantered back and forth and I just looked on smiling. I was so happy to have my whole family together again. It wasn't until Edward told me that the whole fanfare was crazy that I pulled back from my reverie. I reminded him that we would have to do it all over again for him if he would just settle down and he flashed me his crooked grin and teased that he was just going to get married in Las Vegas. I couldn't resist scolding him for his not-so-funny joke and sending him to the table for dinner.

Over dinner, we made plans for the next day and when the kids left to go out, I cleared the table and brought out the coffee and a couple of decks of cards. It was nice to just relax with our old friends and parents. The kids were still out when our party broke up at 11:00 and I was content to curl up with Carlisle on our king-sized bed.

"You were right. He really does look happier," I commented as we snuggled in for the night.

"He does. I'm not sure what changed but even after a grueling shift and a long plane flight, he was more like the Edward that left for Chicago years ago than the one we've seen for the last few years."

"I am so glad. I've been so worried about him," I confessed, although this wasn't much of a surprise to my husband.

He pulled me close and kissed me. It didn't take long for my thoughts to stray from my son and to my husband.

The next morning, I could hear the kids in the kitchen and it sounded like at least some of them were nursing nasty hangovers. I waited until I heard the front door close and Edward go back upstairs before I went to pour coffee for the rest of us. Someone had made bacon and toast and left it warming in the oven. The coffee was strong and I suspected that it was Edward's doing.

Jasper and Alice dragged themselves down after a while and Alice pulled out her designs for the backyard. Before long, she was ordering everyone around but no one was accomplishing anything. Emmett, Rosalie and Bella pulled up and, once again, Bella saved the day. We got all the tables set up before lunchtime and I went in to make us all some sandwiches. Dinner was a long way off and this would be the last time we were all together for a meal.

Alice was antsy and the older generation was taking their sweet time. I did not want to allow my children to be rude and leave before everyone finished, but Alice took care of it by checking her watch. It irritated Helen and Alice called her out for taking so long to eat when we clearly had things to do. Fortunately, Helen agreed and we all split up to head to the church after getting ready.

"I think Edward has a crush on that Bella," Mother commented out of the blue while we drove to the church.

I turned to look at her and saw Helen nod in agreement.

"What makes you say that? I don't think they know each other that well," I said, although, as I thought about it, I wasn't sure if that was really the case.

"It's the way he looks at her. He always notices where she is and they just gravitate towards each other," Helen commented. "Just watch them. You'll see."

I turned toward Carlisle and he just shrugged as if we were discussing something as insignificant as the weather. I tried to think back over what little I had seen them interact since Edward had arrived. There wasn't anything specific that I could pinpoint, but I wondered if she was the reason behind the renewed light in his eyes.

The kids were already in the church setting up when we arrived. There was really a lot to do and I was so engrossed in the preparations, I forgot the conversation from the car until it was time for the actual rehearsal. I stood next to Carlisle and listened to Father Paul's instructions. Edward's eyes rarely left Bella's face and several times she blushed when she caught him looking. When it came time for everyone to regress down the aisle, they both looked like they were sharing a private joke. Suddenly, I was agreeing with my mother and Helen's assessment of the situation. And strangely enough, I hoped they were right. Bella would be good for Edward and he would be good for her. I already loved her as one of my own.

When they were finally done rehearsing, we all loaded back into the car, now sans decorations, and drove to the rehearsal dinner. John and Maria had really outdone themselves. The setting was beautiful and I was finally able to relax a little bit. There were plenty of our relatives here and I made sure to have a word with everyone. Jasper and Alice's toasts were sweet and heartfelt. The fact that I was getting such a wonderful son-in-law was truly a blessing. I couldn't have picked a better mate for Alice if I tried.

With an early start the next day, we left the rehearsal as soon as we were able and went home to crash.

All of the girls were meeting at the salon early Saturday morning and Alice was practically vibrating in her excitement. Alice tried to get us to tell her where Jasper was taking her on her honeymoon and the conversation devolved into stories about our own honeymoons. I got to relive the fantastic trip Carlisle and I had taken through Napa Valley. We really couldn't do much else since he was just starting his residency but I will always remember it as one of the most romantic vacations of my life. Helen groaned about her honeymoon in Cleveland and Mother told about hers in London.

Alice stated that she wanted to go somewhere warm and Rosalie talked about visiting ball parks which screamed of Emmett's influence. She took the ribbing with good grace though. Bella was rather flustered when we asked her where she wanted to go and made up some answer about not caring as long as it was warm and she was with her husband. Her parents had divorced when she was young and her mother had remarried shortly before she went to college and I wondered how much that colored her views on marriage. I made a mental note to talk to her about it at some point so that, when the time came, she was a little more comfortable with the idea. Her role models hadn't been the best, that was for sure.

Once we were all finished, we headed back to the house. I cleaned up some of the breakfast dishes and made some snacks for the girls relaxing upstairs. I walked in on the tail end of Rosalie giving Alice clues about her honeymoon. Even I had to admit that the clues she gave were not going to be very helpful. She made it sound like they were going skiing.

I chided Alice for her nosiness and then chatted with the girls while they painted their nails and did their make-up. We all relaxed until it was time to leave, then we loaded into the cars and made our way to the church. Once there, we crowded into a classroom set aside for us and dressed. My Alice was a beautiful bride. I watched with tears in my eyes as Helen loaned her the diamond necklace Jim had given her for their 25th anniversary and they overflowed when my mother put the veil from her own wedding on Alice's head. Despite the grief that they had given us this week, I was completely overwhelmed at the love they gave to my daughter.

The photographer came to get us and snapped dozens of pictures throughout the church and the grounds. There were a couple of Alice and I together that I knew that I would treasure forever. We hurried her away when the guests started arriving and I took my place at the back of the church to be escorted down the aisle.

The ceremony was everything Alice wanted and she was beaming from ear to ear when she floated back down the aisle after being announced as Mrs. Jasper Whitlock. The mother part of me was torn between feeling like I had just lost my daughter and recognizing that they had just made Jasper officially my son. It was a bittersweet feeling and I struggled to rein in the tears.

The photographer took shot after shot and finally concluded with a picture of Carlisle and I, Jasper and Alice, and Edward and Bella. I wondered about the inspiration for the picture but, I had to admit, that it just seemed right for all of us to be there together. I couldn't wait to see how they all turned out and the photographer stopped me to inform me that he would be calling within the next week to hand over the pictures and the reordering procedures.

Carlisle and I had to rush back to the house to beat the limo carrying the wedding party. Each couple was announced by the DJ and then announced that dinner was served. I did get to sit down and finish my plate of food before the dances started. Jasper and Alice danced close together and it was obvious how much they loved each other. My sister-in-law was practically giddy and talked my ear off during the entirety of the song. My attention was redirected when the song changed and Carlisle took Alice onto the dance floor. I couldn't contain the joyful tears as they waltzed all around the floor. While Jasper danced with Maria, I watched my son and wondered when I was going to get to dance with him like that. He was sitting with his arm thrown casually over Bella's chair while they talked to Alice. Once again, it seemed like there was more there, or at least the potential for more.

I didn't have much time to reflect as the caterer asked for my opinion on how I wanted the extra food packed up. I had just finished dealing with that when the DJ called for the toasts. Edward and Bella both gave very sweet toasts to Alice and Jasper and then they went down to cut the cake. Jasper ended up with cake up his nose and Alice had icing smeared all over her cheek. They were both laughing and cleaned each other up. Dr. Bernard and his wife came up and offered their congratulations to the happy couple and to Carlisle and I. I whispered to Alice to have Bella take care of cake distribution because Aurelia Bernard was asking about all of the details and I knew I would have to give them to her before I could make my escape.

When I finally did escape, I went to get the shoes that Alice had left underneath the head table. I pulled up short when I overhead part of the conversation taking place there.

"When did Edward get married?" Emmett practically yelled.

"He did the Vegas thing and got to skip out on all this madness," Jasper answered. "Lucky bastard."

"Dude! Why didn't you tell me? I'm hurt!" Emmett said just as loudly as before.

"Keep it down there, Sparky," Edward snapped. "Still haven't told my parents. But, Jasper, you're right. It was easier than this shit."

My breath caught in my throat. _'Edward got married in Vegas? That can't be. He wouldn't do that, would he? But he just said that he did.'_ I was in shock and I just stood there while they did the traditional garter and bouquet toss. It did not escape my notice that Edward was nowhere to be found amongst the single men. I left the shoes, telling myself that I would get them later, and hurried off to get Alice ready to go. She didn't need to deal with her brother's asinine behavior as she was leaving for her honeymoon so I tried to pass off my fuzziness as post-wedding exhaustion.

I ran into Carlisle on the way to see them off and told him that we had a problem we needed to address as soon as Alice left and he gave me a questioning look. I promised that I would explain in a minute and we watched Jasper and Alice leave in a flurry of birdseed.

I pulled Carlisle into his office and shut the door. "I just overheard Jasper telling Emmett that Edward got married in Las Vegas."

"He did what?" Carlisle asked incredulously.

"Then I heard Edward confirm it!"

"Get him in here. Now." My husband's normally jovial voice was cold and barely controlled.

I saw Edward heading back outside and I called him in to the study. He looked happy but unconcerned as he stood in front of us. I looked my son over and saw the band on his left ring finger. I wrenched it up in front of his face and demanded an explanation.

His expression said it all for him. He had gotten married and he didn't want to tell us. He knew that we would be unhappy about it. He tried to ask how we found out and I lost all semblance of composure.

"I heard it from Jasper! I would never have believed it of you, Edward. When you said you were going to get married in Vegas a few days ago, I thought you were kidding. How could you do this?" I shrieked.

I immediately recognized Edward's defensive mode because he had used it every time we discussed that horrid woman. "What do you want me to say, Mom? Yes, I got married in Las Vegas."

"And you felt the need to keep this from us? I cannot believe you, Edward Anthony Cullen!" I shouted.

"What exactly did Jasper tell you, Mother?" he asked.

"Oh, Jasper didn't tell me anything. I had to overhear him telling Emmett! You have always been my responsible child. Is this your way of rebelling? Now, that you're an adult?" That is exactly what this had to be. He was rebelling against us in the stupidest way possible.

"I got married, Mom. I didn't go on a bender. I didn't blow my trust fund on a sports car," he retorted.

Carlisle cleared his throat. "I guess we don't understand, son. How long ago did this happen? Why didn't you tell us?" He was trying hard to be calm and collected since it appeared that I left that at the door.

"We got married a month ago. We didn't tell you because the focus of this weekend was supposed to be Alice. I didn't want to come home with a new wife and distract you all from her," he explained. And this is what it came down to. He didn't want to ruin his sister's wedding by bringing that tramp around.

"But getting married, Edward? Marriage is hard enough at the best of times. You are in your second year of residency. Your mother and I only made it because she is the most selfless and patient person in the world. What were you thinking?" Carlisle asked. His voice was strained and he looked weary.

"I guess I wasn't really thinking, Dad. We've been working on everything and my work schedule is one of those things."

"I'm just disappointed. Your judgment seems to be a little clouded. You can make all of the excuses in the world, but getting married at this point in your life is not wise. You need to take care of this."

"What do you expect me to do, Dad?" Edward yelled. I didn't recognize the man standing in front of me. My son had always been responsible and done the right thing.

"We'll contact our attorney in the morning," Carlisle stated. Edward looked defeated but I knew this was for the best. I would not have that woman as a part of my family. My thoughts went to the woman that I had hoped he would make a life with and his treatment of her seemed shameful on top of everything else.

"Not only have you been hiding all of this and lying about it, the rest of your behavior is reprehensible. We raised you better than this. What have you done with your morals? You have a wife and yet you flirt with the first pretty girl you see! I've watched you all weekend and how you've been with Bella. Edward, why would you marry HER? You know that we have never liked her. She's just not good for you."

"What do you mean you don't like her?" Edward seemed genuinely confused which made no sense to me.

"We've never liked Tanya and we never made any secret about it. You never brought her home for the holidays because you knew this!" I accused. We were no longer bothering to keep our voices down.

"Tanya? How in the hell did Tanya get brought into this conversation?" he yelled back at me, his face red in his anger.

"You married her. You tell us!" I shouted. All of my dreams for my son had crashed around my feet.

Edward turned on his heel without another word and stomped out the door.

"Where are you going, Edward? Get back here!" Carlisle shouted after him.

He did return just a moment later dragging a confused looking Bella by the arm. "Bella, I would like to introduce you to my parents, Esme and Carlisle Cullen." Edward stated formally. "Mom, Dad, this is Bella. My wife."

As soon as the words left his mouth, my heart fell into my stomach. Bella's expression was confused and hurt. With the way my son sounded and how angry I could tell he was, I wasn't surprised she felt that way. I had no idea what to say and I felt a little like throwing up. I had just yelled at my son for being a disappointment to me and for being irresponsible. I had even called him immoral when all along, he was married to the one girl I had hoped for him. Carlisle dragged me from the room and down the hall to our room.

"Oh, God, Esme," he choked out. "What did we just do?"

I couldn't answer him and just stared back wide eyed. He reached out his arms and I fell into them sobbing. It wasn't long before we heard a door slam and Carlisle pulled away. "Let me go get them. Maybe we can fix this."

I heard him in the hallway. "Edward, can your mother and I have another word? Where's Bella? We'd like to talk to you both."

Edward's voice was cold. "I think you've said enough tonight, Dad. I sent Bella home. You told me to take care of it, and I did. Good night."

I ran to the bathroom and vomited. Carlisle found me there and pulled my hair back from my face.

"It'll be okay, Es. Don't worry. He's just angry right now," he murmured while rubbing my back. "Let's get you out of this dress and I'll go make sure everything gets cleaned up."

I struggled out of my dress and lay against the cool tile, hot tears marring its soothing chill. Sometime later, Carlisle picked me up off the floor and carried me to bed. Somehow, I couldn't shake the feeling that our reaction had completely ruined things for our son. I couldn't fall asleep and waited until Carlisle had drifted off before I threw on my robe and climbed the stairs to Edward's room. I knocked and called out to him but he never answered. All I could do was pray that when Bella got here for brunch, we could repair the damage we had done.

Bella didn't show up. When Edward finally came down, he declined breakfast and went straight for the coffee. He looked as bad as I felt.

"Edward, I'm really sorry about last night. We were just surprised. Please tell Bella that we're sorry for overreacting," I tried to apologize again.

"I don't think I'm going to be able to do that, Mom. Tell Dad not to worry about taking me to the airport. I'll have Emmett come get me." His voice was curt and sad. I knew that my actions were responsible for the return of the son I had seen for the last few years, the one that I had been so glad to see gone.

"But, Edward…"

"Look, you made your point perfectly clear last night. I really don't think I can stand hearing any more. Please. I love you and I'll see you at Thanksgiving, okay?" He hugged me and pulled away to tell his grandparents goodbye. He never looked back when Emmett pulled up and didn't say another word.

"What happened to Edward?" Helen asked bluntly when I dropped back into my chair at the table. I looked to Carlisle for help and he sighed heavily.

"We found out last night that he had gotten married without telling us and we did not react very well," he said, choosing his words carefully.

"What in the world is wrong with you?" Mother asked. "She's a lovely girl!"

"I know," I cried. "We just didn't know it was Bella at the time."

"How could you not know?" my father asked. "A blind man could see that he worshipped her."

I broke out into sobs again. My own father had seen what I had not acknowledged. I excused myself from the table and went to lie back down. I did not get up for the rest of the day.

On Monday, the rental company returned to pick up the tables and tents. Carlisle went back to the hospital and I supervised the clean up. I called Edward, but he didn't pick up. I begged him to call me in my message but my phone remained silent for the rest of the day. Carlisle said he tried to call him too but dismissed his lack of answering as being busy at the hospital. He reminded me that Edward was still assigned to the NICU and would likely be very busy.

I still didn't hear back from him on Tuesday. I tried to focus on one of the interior design projects I was working on but I couldn't concentrate. Carlisle promised me that he had called Edward again with no answer. I couldn't stop the tears from flowing. For both of my children. If what I thought had happened had really occurred, both Edward and Bella were hurting and I was powerless to do anything about it. I knew that Edward would have told her what we said. Hearing that would have hurt her terribly because of the way her own parents had disregarded her time and again.

Carlisle did not come until almost midnight on Tuesday. He joined me in bed and told me about his conversation with Edward. He wasn't ready to talk to me but he wasn't ready to give up yet. I was afraid that he would be too late if he didn't fix it soon. We fell asleep whispering our wishes for a better future for our kids.

On Wednesday morning, Sarah from the church called. They had found a few things we had left behind when they cleaned the church and had stashed them for us in the front office. I promised that I would be down to get them before they went home for the day.

With nothing else to occupy my time, I got ready and headed down to the church. Father Paul was in his office when I arrived and he motioned me in and asked me to shut the door.

"How was the reception, Esme? I was terribly sorry that I couldn't make it, but Mrs. Mallory was having emergency surgery."

"The reception went very well, actually. Alice and Jasper had a great time and I think it was everything she was hoping it would be," I answered. Father Paul was such a sweet man.

"And how did the rest of the weekend go?" He seemed to be leading me.

I frowned and wondered if I should tell him. He was my priest and I figured if I could not seek his counsel, I couldn't seek anyone's. "It could have been better. We found out that Edward got married and we had a rather unpleasant conversation."

"I am sorry to hear that. I had thought that you would be rather pleased about it," he responded evenly.

"You knew?" I asked incredulously.

"I figured it out and talked to him after the rehearsal on Friday. He was very nervous about telling you. He was afraid that you would be disappointed in him and that you would see him as irresponsible."

I sighed. "And that is exactly what happened."

"Why?" Father Paul's voice was soft and leading.

"We thought he had married a woman that we did not approve of. By the time we found out the truth, it was too late."

"And by too late, you mean?"

"Carlisle told him to contact an attorney and take care of it. We had already expressed our unhappiness with the situation," I explained.

"And now?"

"They still haven't spoken, according to Edward. He told Carlisle that he doesn't know what to do. He won't call me back," I complained.

"Give him some time and keep calling," he counseled. "He needs to know that he has your love and support."

"What about his wife? Bella? What do I do about her? Father Paul, I love her like a daughter and always have."

"Talk to Edward first. This time, make sure your words and actions reflect what he wants and needs."

"Yes, thank you, Father," I practically whispered, overcome by emotion.

"And Esme, if you need to talk or need counsel, please don't hesitate to call me."

"Of course. Thank you." I gathered my belongings and I rose to leave. Father Paul stepped in front of me and walked towards the door. He held it open for me and retrieved the box of items we had left. I shifted it into my arms and left feeling more at peace than I had since Saturday. Somehow it would all work out. My son deserved happiness and, if I had anything to say about it, he would have it.

**Was this what you all expected from Esme? Let me know!**


	3. Chapter 3: The Birthday Party

**WHIV Outtakes**

**Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know Twilight belongs to Stephanie Meyer. What Happens In Vegas belongs to me. Let's keep it that way!**

A/N: Your reviews on chapter 29 inspired me to write this little ditty. That and Tanya is just so much fun to play with! It's a holiday here in my hometown as the Kentucky Derby is running this weekend, so Happy Derby! Enjoy the fruits of my evening off!

**Chapter 3: The Birthday Party**

**TPOV**

"Ugh! I need some more Red Bull," I groaned as I sank into the chair behind the desk.

"How long have you been here?" Jessica asked.

"Since four this morning. Cassie needed the day off for some reason and she traded me for tomorrow night. I haven't had a Friday night off in forever!" I complained.

"What? Got a hot date?" Jessica teased. Bitch. She knew I didn't. Edward was still holding tight to the "we need some time away from each other" thing and there really wasn't anyone else I was interested in dating. Not that I hadn't gone out with a few guys here and there to scratch the itch, I just didn't like any of them enough to give them space in my life.

I gave Jessica a withering look and rearranged the stack of charts in my hand. None of them were really more urgent than any other and it was really a crap shoot as to who to send back first.

"Hey!" a cheerful voice called over the din of the waiting patients. I would recognize that voice anywhere and I wasn't sure whether to hide or to stand up and tell her to go back to whatever hole she crawled out of.

"Hi, Alice," Jessica responded happily, saving me from bashing her over the head with a stapler. Alice had always hated me and I was sure that she helped drive the wedge between Edward and I.

"Listen, I'm throwing a birthday party for Edward tomorrow night at his place. I thought it would be nice if you could come," Alice invited. My mouth dropped open in shock. Alice must really loathe that new girl of Edward's if she was trying to get me back in his life. Either that or she really was just a fling.

Jessica got all of the details and asked me, after Alice left, if I was going. I told her that I would think about it and set back off to deliver charts to various doctors.

I pondered this offer for the rest of my shift and it was more effective than an energy drink at keeping me awake. The possibilities were insidiously invading my brain and I knew that this was my chance to remind Edward that I was still here and still wanted him. I mean I told him all the time at the hospital but this would be the first time I'd seen him socially in six months.

By the time my relief arrived at four Friday morning, I was determined to be at that party.

I got up at two so that I would have plenty of time to make myself gorgeous and to bake Edward's favorite cake. I could show him that I cared and that I knew him better than anyone else.

I mixed up the cake mix and tossed it in the oven while my curlers heated up and I browsed my closet to find the perfect outfit. I settled on my silver pants and the little black tank top that makes my breasts look even better. I was sure that this outfit would remind Edward of what he was missing and I didn't plan on coming home tonight.

While the cake cooled, I put my hair in the rollers and applied my make-up. Taking a look in the mirror, I smiled, secure in the knowledge that I was too beautiful to resist.

My nerves did not kick in until I pulled into Edward's parking lot. I had timed my arrival to be a little later than everyone else because I didn't want to get lost in the arrival of the rest of the guests. Now, that seemed like a bad idea. The last time I had come here, things did not go as well as I had hoped that they would. About a month after Edward moved out, I met him here with some of the things he had left and I tried unsuccessfully to get him to come back home. I didn't want tonight to be a repeat of that.

I could hear the party in full swing behind the door and I knocked quickly before I could lose my nerve. It was so important to me for tonight to go well.

Edward swung the door open and looked surprised to see me, but he didn't slam the door in my face. I took that as a good sign, wished him a happy birthday and kissed him softly. My heart did an internal happy dance when Edward didn't pull away. He wasn't kissing me back like he used to but our lips were still connected.

That was until he pulled back and looked around. That mousey girl stared with an open mouth and I smirked. _That's how he likes his women, little girl!_ I looked back to Edward's face with a smile but his expression wasn't what I was hoping for. He looked… mad. Very mad.

He grabbed my arm and dragged me back to one of the bedrooms. _Well, make it look like your mad, then ravish my hot bod. Not a bad plan. Not like I'm going to complain. _

Then he threw my cake on the dresser and rounded on me with sheer fury on his face. Somehow, I knew that my plan had gone horribly awry in an instant and there was no going back.

"What the fuck was that, Tanya?" he yelled at me. I instinctively shrank back against his harsh tone.

I decided to try to tame his rage with my soft voice and to give him part of the truth. "It's your birthday. I thought I would come by and celebrate with you like we always have."

"Bullshit. My party was an excuse for you to show up and try to make trouble like you always do. Our relationship was a disaster and you know it as well as I do. I don't want you back. You had no right to kiss me in front of my friends and my… Bella. What is your problem?" he said, loudly.

His calling me out on my omission and then mentioning that little wannabe snapped my control. "Oh, so your hesitation was because _Bella_ was here? She's a fling, Edward, and you know it. I know you like she never could. You're supposed to be with me, not her," I reminded him. She wasn't anything like me and I knew that he was happy with me at one time. He could be again if he just wasn't so damn stubborn.

"No, my hesitation was because I never thought you would darken my doorstep again. She's not a fling, Tanya and she knows me a hell of a lot better than you, it seems." He was pointing to the lemon cake I had spent so much time on and refusing me again. He was adamant that he didn't want me anymore. Then he claimed that he hated lemon cake but that I had been too wrapped up in my life to notice. Whatever.

I didn't know this new girl of his and it was obvious that she did something for him, though for the life of me, I couldn't figure out why. I decided to remind him why other girls had pursued him and he threw it back in my face, accusing me of just wanting to be a doctor's wife. Did he just not get it? I didn't want to just be a doctor's wife. I wanted to be his wife.

"I loved you, Edward. That's what made me different," I whispered. It was the last thing I could say. It was the last thing he needed to hear and he told me it didn't matter. That stung more than I can describe, being told that my love didn't matter to him. Maybe he had been right all along when he said that working together was a bad idea because, right now, I wished I didn't have to face him for awhile. I was going to do my best to avoid him while he was still on the ER rotation. It hurt too much to see the rejection in his eyes. The walk of shame from the back bedroom to the front door was painful, especially as so many of our colleagues were there to witness it. I should have thought of that before I came up with this stupid plan, but I hadn't and now I would be the laughing stock of the hospital.

It was still early when I left his apartment and I didn't want to go home and wallow in my failure. There was a bar not far from his apartment that appeared to be a nice, upstanding place and I went in. Obviously, my allure wasn't missing because immediately three well-dressed men offered to buy me drink. I smirked at them and swayed my hips enticingly. If I couldn't have the man I wanted, I was sure going to be the woman they wanted.

**Leave me some love and let me know what you think! **


	4. Chapter 4: The Baby

**What Happens In Vegas**

**Disclaimer: WHIV=mine. Twilight=not mine. **

**A/N: This outtake was written for cherie as part of the Fandom Gives Back Auction in July. Thank you so much for purchasing this and for supporting such a great cause! That said, this should be the last time I visit with these two, unless another great cause demands it. So . . . enjoy!**

**Chapter 5: Revisiting**

**EPOV**

It was Tuesday evening and, once again, I was late coming home. I knew that Bella was going to be aggravated; she had been every night for the last three weeks. I couldn't help it. I was taking a vacation, that Bella didn't know about yet, and a spate of influenza was making a late appearance in the local schools. My office had been a zoo all week.

I flipped open my phone and placed a call to finalize our plans for the long weekend.

"_Edward? Hi, honey! How are you?"_ Mom always greeted me the same way these days.

"I'm good, Mom. Tired. Just calling to confirm for this weekend."

"_Are you still not home?"_ she asked, a lecture in her tone.

"No! Eighteen kids, Mom. I saw eighteen kids with the flu today. My last patient was running late and I had to stay even later to shower so I didn't bring the germs home to Bella or Elizabeth," I defended.

"_Just . . . I don't know, Edward. Bella is really upset. Are you sure that this trip is the best idea?"_ She sounded worried.

"I think this trip is exactly what we need. We need some time to just be together. Can you not get away?" I asked, now very frustrated.

"_I will be there Thursday afternoon. My flight should land about two o'clock and I am renting a car to bring me to your house. You will leave early and meet me there so I don't scare Bella when she gets home,"_ she ordered.

"Yes ma'am. Thank you. You don't know how much I appreciate this."

"_When are you going to tell her?" _Mom asked for the fifteenth time.

"When she gets home on Thursday. That way, we both have time to pack before our flight leaves at nine Friday morning. Do you think she'll like the surprise?" I questioned hopefully.

"_Does she ever like surprises?"_ she answered dryly. _"I love you, sweetheart. Get home."_

"I'm here. Night, Mom."

Despite the fact that it was only seven o'clock, the house was dark when I pulled into the driveway. I figured that Bella was playing with Elizabeth in the backyard on the new swing set Emmett and I had installed a couple of weeks ago. The house was quiet and they were not out there, though.

"Bella?" I called, but I was met with silence.

I strolled through the house searching for my girls but I found it empty. There was no note on the cork board where we usually left messages for each other and there was no sign that either of them had been here in awhile.

I pulled a beer from the fridge and went into the living room. There was an Angels game on television and I watched it idly while waiting for Bella to get home. I didn't want to fix something for dinner in case she was out getting something for us so I just sat there in the dark.

Eight o'clock came and went and Bella still wasn't here. I was starting to get worried and I picked up my phone and dialed her familiar number.

"_This is Bella. I can't answer my phone right now, but leave me a message and I'll call you back."_

"Baby, it's me. I'm getting a little worried about you. Please call me back," I said after the beep and hung up.

My phone just sat in my lap and remained silent. Finally, I heard a car in the driveway and I practically ran to the front door, pulling it open as Bella reached the stoop with Elizabeth in her arms.

"Oh. You're here," she greeted me flatly.

"Where have you been? I have been so worried!" I practically shouted.

She snorted and rolled her eyes, pushing past me to get into the house. "Gee, you smell all fresh and clean." The acid dripped from her tone and I took a step back.

"I took a shower before I left the office. What's your problem?" I asked, now on the defensive although I had known she was upset.

"Excuse me? MY problem?" She looked like she was ready to lay into me when Elizabeth shifted in her arms. She was fast asleep with her pacifier firmly in her mouth. Her fingers gripped Bella's shirt and her hair fell around her face in waves. She was so sweet and I reached out to take her.

"No, let me go put my daughter to bed and I will be back down to finish this conversation." She spun on her heel and I caught a glimpse of her eyes in the light from the front porch. I stood there slack-jawed from her venomous words and the obvious tears that she had shed.

It took almost twenty minutes for Bella to reappear and she was even less composed now than she had been when she walked in.

"Bella, what's going on?" I cried.

"What's going on? Why don't you tell me, Edward? Why don't you tell me why you are working late every night and you come home smelling all fresh and clean? Why when I came to see you at the end of the day yesterday, I watched everyone leave but you and one of your nurses?" Her voice got progressively higher pitched as she shot question after question at me.

I was trying really hard to keep up but she had completely lost me. "Um . . . where do you want me to start, love? The working late, the showering before I come home to my family or the nurse that didn't go home with everyone else?"

Her eyebrows shot into her hairline and she sniffed angrily. "Pick one!"

"There is a bad flu going around and I have seen several cases of strep throat this week. I take every precaution I can when I'm with my patients but they cough and sneeze on everything in the office and I can't wear gloves everywhere. So, I have been showering so I didn't bring the bugs home to you and Elizabeth. I didn't want you to get sick."

Bella swallowed and nodded stiffly, indicating for me to continue.

"Melanie, that's one of our nurses, tried to leave early yesterday, but when she went out to her car, it wouldn't start. She called her husband and he offered to come get her, but he got caught in traffic and didn't get there until six. She filed all the charts while she waited for him, except for the ones I was working on. I had to put those away," I explained. I still wasn't sure where she was going with this but it sounded suspiciously like Bella thought I was cheating on her.

"Does that happen every night?"

"No. I've just been taking all the late appointments, so it takes me longer to get out of the office," I told her.

"You don't want to come home?" Bella asked brokenly. The tears flowed freely down her cheeks now.

"Of course I want to come home," I cried. "I've been covering for the other doctors as a favor since they are going to be covering for me." I reached over and wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"But why?" she cried through her tears.

"Shit!" I muttered. "I didn't want to do it this way. I'm going out of town for a couple of days, Bella. We are going out of town," I amended.

"We are?"

"I wanted it to be a surprise. I booked us a trip to Vegas for the weekend. You were already off on Friday and I thought it would be nice to get away for a bit." I leaned back into the couch cushions, defeated. I was trying to make Bella happy but I never seemed to be able to do that anymore.

She was quiet and I chanced a glance over at her. She was just staring at me.

"I'm sor—" I started to apologize.

"You booked us a trip to Vegas?" she clarified incredulously. "What about Elizabeth?"

"Mom will be here Thursday. She's going to stay here with her for the weekend so it doesn't mess up her schedule."

A hint of a smile played across her face. "Where are we staying?" Her hands were fiddling with the fringe of the blanket we kept on the back of the couch.

"The Venetian."

"Really?" she asked, the vulnerability evident in her tone.

"Yes, really. What did you think was going on?" I paused and then voiced my suspicions. "Did you think I was cheating on you?"

Bella looked down at her hands and nodded. She refused to meet my eyes and I saw tears leak from her eyes.

I scooted over to her and pressed my fingers under her chin, forcing her head up. "Bella, love, there is no one else for me. Only you. I just wanted to surprise you. How could you doubt me?" It wounded me that she would even think that I would stray.

"I didn't. It's just that you haven't been here and we haven't been as . . . close since Elizabeth was born. I don't know," she howled in frustration.

"Well, I plan to make up for all of that this weekend," I told her. "Shall I give you a demonstration of what I intend to do to you when I get you all to myself?" I grinned wickedly at her and she raised her eyebrow in challenge.

In a split second, I moved so that I was hovering over her and she was pressed into the back of the couch. My mouth sought hers out impatiently and I practically molested her mouth with my tongue. She was right. It had been too long since we were intimate like this and I missed her desperately. My hands fumbled with the material of her shirt and I ended up tearing it in my effort to get it off of her body.

Bella giggled and whipped it over head, leaving me with an unobstructed view of her perfect breasts.

"You, you aren't wearing a bra," I stuttered in shock.

"Nope," she responded, popping the p.

I reached out and cradled the soft flesh in my hands, grateful that I could touch them once again. While Bella was nursing, her breasts had been sore and were off-limits to all but the baby. Now, though, I ran my thumbs lightly over her pebbled nipples and listened to my wife's breathing become labored.

"Jesus, that feels good," she sighed, closing her eyes to more fully enjoy the sensations. I leaned forward, letting my tongue roam over and around her areola while my other hand gripped and massaged the other breast as if it had a mind of its own.

Bella's pants became deep moans and she was shifting around, trying to get some friction. I stilled her with my hand on her hip and slipped my fingers inside the leg holes of her shorts. She was wearing a thong, too.

"What are you trying to do to me? Make me explode in my pants?" I asked against her skin.

"I just thought I might make you remember what you had to come home to," she responded softly.

I stopped the ministrations to her chest and looked into her eyes. "I've never forgotten, Bella. You and Elizabeth are my entire world. I love you. Please don't doubt that." As I finished, I thrust my fingers underneath the thin strip of satin and plunged them into her.

She cried out and bucked against my hand. Over and over again, I pushed into her, feeling her muscles contract around my fingers, until finally I felt her juices coat my fingers. I brought her down from her orgasm and yanked the shorts off her legs. My own slacks fell to the floor in a heap and Bella pulled me down on top of her.

"Now, Edward," she panted. "Please!"

And who was I to deny her? Despite the odd angle, I thrust my cock into her and I had to immediately still so that I didn't come before I had a chance to make love to her. The cocoon of warmth I was met with made my toes curl and my whole body was begging me to thrust with wild abandon. I didn't think that Bella would appreciate me going all animalistic on her though, so I settled for kissing her hard on the mouth and slamming into her again—just once.

Bella released a guttural moan and, now unable to stop myself, I twisted her around so that she could hold on to the back of the couch. I growled and smacked her ass as I pounded into her from behind.

Her moans and whimpers spurred me on and, as she screamed my name through her orgasm, I lost control on my own as well and spilled into her. I collapsed on top of her and we slid off the couch, landing in a heap on the floor.

Bella giggled and wiggled underneath me. I rolled off of her and lay splayed out naked in the middle of the floor.

"That was hot!" Bella giggled. "But now I know why we don't just attack each other in random rooms anymore. I'm getting to old for that!" She stretched and groaned as her muscles recoiled.

"I don't think I can move. That was . . ." I searched for the right word and fell short. "Mind-blowing."

"Yeah," Bella whispered. She sounded so lonely, just feet away from me. I forced myself to move and stood, holding out my hand to help Bella up. I pulled her into my arms and held her to me until we both got chilled and went upstairs, hand in hand.

The next two days were a flurry of activity. Bella packed both of our suitcases and made out every conceivable list for Elizabeth that my mother would ever need. I could sense her excitement through her preparations and it pleased me. Life had just been so predictable lately and I was more convinced than ever that this trip was exactly what we needed.

Mom waved to us as we left for the airport early Friday morning and we made to the airport in plenty of time to make our flight. As we sat waiting in the plastic chairs, Bella stared at the board and giggled.

"Do you think we ought to take separate flights? Arrive apart and meet at the airport?"

I laughed at her and shook my head. "Nah, because I would have to be away from you and that's not happening. I'll show you what we did while we were waiting for you all to get there."

"Hah! Drinking in a bar?" she questioned with a smirk.

"Now, why would you think that?" I teased back.

"Because I know you. And you smelled like alcohol in the van on the way to the hotel," she told me matter-of-factly.

I laughed and grabbed her hand, tugging her into my lap and wrapping my arms around her waist until they called us for our flight.

I hadn't been back to Vegas in more than four years, not since Bella and I got married here. This time, I was in a much better place in my life and I tugged her behind me as I made my way through the airport. I drag her to the bar we drank in the first time we were here.


End file.
